The relationship between China, one of the oldest civilizations
with the biggest population, and the United States, one of the
youngest civilizations with the strongest economy, is significant
not only for the two peoples but also for the future of the whole
world.
The factors influencing the Sino-US relationship include economic,
strategic, diplomatic and cultural elements. Undoubtedly, among
them the economic factor is the most important one. Economic
interests are at the heart of China-US
relations. In 2001, trade volume between the two nations hit
US$80,400 million, 8.1 percent higher than the previous year.
Tempted by the colossal Chinese market, the US has become China's
biggest investor with an investment of US$4,858 million in 2001 and
an accumulated investment of US$35,548 million. Since many American
companies who have invested in China are multinational
corporations, any fluctuations in Sino-US economic relations may
affect the global trading and financial system, and may in turn
exert influences on the two countries' political and diplomatic
decisions.
Strategically, China and the US have common interests. The White
House needs China's assistance and influence to handle North Korea
and non-proliferation issues. America also needs China's
cooperation in fighting terrorism. On the Taiwan question that
remains the most sensitive issue, China asks the United States to
abide by the three joint communiquis and pursue the one-China
policy.
Diplomatically, the imbalance of the mutual foreign policies is one
of the reasons for misunderstandings and difficulties between the
two nations. On the US side, by redefining China as its rival
rather than strategic partner, the Bush Administration indicates
that China is not at the key position in its Asian and Pacific
policies. However, in China's foreign policies, the United States
is important both economically and strategically, especially when
dealing with the Taiwan issue.
The ideological discrepancy explains why the United States has
always taken China as its enemy rather than a partner or friend.
Thus, learning the origins of American culture and spirit is
necessary for China in dealing with political and diplomatic
relations with the United States.
Domestic politics has played an important role in shaping the
China-US relationship. In the United States, a sharp increase in
the population of minorities resulted in the popularity of
multiculturalism over the past decade, a movement that aims to
achieve for minorities -- including African, Latin and Asian
Americans -- the same status white Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASP)
have enjoyed in political, social and cultural life.
Multiculturalism has strengthened the political power of minorities
and intensified the conflicts between whites and minorities.
Consequently, conservatives hope to strengthen the influence of the
mainstream, i.e. WASP values and attitudes in response to the
growth of multiculturalism. Recently, Asian, especially Chinese
Americans have become a newly emergent force in computer,
educational, scientific and technological fields in the United
States. The rise of Chinese Americans may arouse antipathy and
jealousy of racists, conservatives and other minorities, which has
been seen in the Wen Ho Lee "Spy" Case. In addition, after the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the White House reexamined its
opening-up, adopted tougher immigration policies, and said it would
restrict the granting of immigrant visas. This tendency of
conservatism may play a negative role in the Sino-US cultural
exchanges.
On
the contrary, in China, intellectuals as well as young people hold
a good opinion of the United States. A survey indicates that 87
percent of Chinese youngsters regard US as a rich and powerful
country, and 74.3 percent are impressed by the colorful cultural
and entertainment life in America. According to a poll made in
Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in September, 1997, some 58 percent
of those polled nursed quite a favorable impression of the US in
general; 27.1 percent thought that by then US was China's
international friend; while only 13 percent described China-US ties
as hostile. In a survey conducted in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou,
Wuhan and Harbin on first impressions of the United States, 40.4
percent of the interviewees brought up the wealth of the US and its
standing as a superpower, 7.5 percent reflected on such social
problems in the United States as drug addiction, unemployment and
homelessness, 5 percent mentioned Motorola, Coca Cola, IBM, the
Silicon Valley and other high-tech and branded products. Of all
countries referred to in the interview, people were most impressed
by the United States and listed it as the richest and most powerful
country in the world. In addition, the US has been the first
preference among Chinese people as a place to visit, travel to and
send their children to study in.
However, after China-US IPR (intellectual property rights), MFN
(Most Favored Nations status) and WTO (World Trade Organization)
negotiations, especially after the missile attack on the Chinese
Embassy in Belgrade in 1999 and the Air-Collision Incident last
year, an anti-America feeling is growing among Chinese young people
who are rather westernized both in their wearing and thinking. This
is a signal to the American policy-makers: When dealing with
US-China relations, they need to fully consider traditional Chinese
culture and national feelings since Chinese people who are
cultivated by their distinctively face-saving culture value mutual
respect greatly.
To
handle the Sino-US relationship appropriately, both sides should
realize the necessity to further understanding and respect for each
other's cultures, which, unfortunately, often has been
neglected.
The origins of American culture lie in a combination of Puritanism,
liberalism, individualism and republicanism. Reflected in politics,
American culture takes the form of hegemonism with a strong
religious flavor and labeled by its self-defined freedom, democracy
and human rights standard. The cultural reason for American
people's conceit and authoritativeness lies in the so-called
"America exception" derived from the American political culture.
Beginning with the original immigrating Puritans, Americans have
regarded themselves as the chosen people, superior to any other
peoples in the world. Meanwhile, in free and open America, there is
no room for the strict consensus system characteristic of
traditional societies. Therefore, without a unified attitude and
consistent account in all fields of its political culture,
discordant voices can be heard from time to time in American
society, which is unimaginable and almost impossible in China.
The essence of Chinese culture is family affection and attachment.
Any individual behavior damaging national dignity and group honor
is not encouraged in Chinese society that thinks highly of
collective benefits and reputation, which is beyond the
understanding of American people.
In
addition to the cultural differences between the two nations, we
also need to realize the inherent discrepancies in American culture
that influence American politics and foreign policies frequently.
On the one hand, in terms of Puritanism, one of the origins of the
American culture, since the earliest Puritans came to the New World
due to the religious persecutions they suffered in England, the
freedom and right for individuals to pursue welfare have occupied a
special position in Puritanism. Naturally, Puritans harbor
religious fervor for human rights. On the other, the protracted
existence of racial discrimination and segregation did not change
until after the Civil Rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s.
Even today, the deep-rooted barrier between whites and minorities
is still hard to be removed completely in the United States. The
cultural contradictions are the source of America's double
standards on the human rights issue.
The aggressive American culture with a short history of a little
more than 200 years is built on the basis of individualism and
liberalism, while the introversive Chinese culture with a 5000
years' tradition lays stress on collectivism and cultural consensus
at the expense of individual voices. Obviously, the essences of
these two cultures are contradictory. This cultural contradiction
is the main reason for the constant Sino-US clashes. Nevertheless,
mutual complementarities in economy magnetize the two nations,
forcing them to compromise for their cultural discrepancies.
To
maintain close ties between China and the United States, the
establishment of culturally complementary, mutually trusting and
crisis handling systems is necessary. The differences between
Chinese and American cultures as well as the inherent
contradictions of American culture need to be fully considered.
Mutual opening based on mutual trusting is also important to
bilateral relations. Meanwhile, cooperation on economic, strategic
and anti-terrorist issues cannot change the essential political and
cultural discrepancies, which makes it inevitable for the constant
appearance of crises between the two nations. By and large, China
and the United States need to face their cultural differences and
establish mutually trusting relations based on deepened
understandings and reasonable analyses and judgment on cases. Only
in this way, any possible crises in the future can be reduced to
the degree benefiting both sides.
(The author is a researcher with the Institute of
American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
(china.org.cn, translated by Shao Da, March 19, 2002)